Shipping tag dispenser



.May 21, 1940. H. A. SALZBRENNER SHIPPING TAG DISPENSER Filed May 23, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Y INVENTOR. /7/?8E/?7' A JAL-ZgRf/WYER. BY ATTORNEY:

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H. A. SALZBRENNER SHIPPING TAG DISPENSER May 21,1940.

Filed May 23, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I i m 22 i i 322 .33 I 3 INVENTOR.

I ATTORNEY.

Patented May 21, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,201,272 SHIPPING TAG DISPENSER Herbert A. Salzbrenner, Denver, 0010.

Application May 23, 1938, Serial No. 209,550

Claims. (01. 312-56) This invention relates to a dispenser. more particularly to a dispenser for dispensing shipping tags, checking tags, etc., one at a time. Its use is not limited to any particular type of tag 5 since it can also be used for delivering cards,

labels, or other relatively stiff sheets of material.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a neat, compact and eiiicient device of 10. this character which can be operated with the fingers of one hand to deliver a tag between the thumb and finger of that hand so that the dispenser can be operated and the desired tag grasped with a single movement of one hand.

a device of this character which will dispense a.

single tag from a pile of tags at each operation, and which can be readily adapted for tags or cards of various sizes and shapes.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efiiciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawings and throughout the description.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of one form of the improved dispenser.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section therethrough taken on the line 22, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3,

Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4-4, Fig. 2. v

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section taken on the center line of the dispenser.

Fig. 6 is a similar section illustrating the dispenser adapted for delivering small, card-like pieces.

Fig. '7 is a cross section taken on the line 1-1, Fig. 6.

The invention comprises an elongated inner casing ID of a width to receive a pile of vertically aligned tags II. This form of the invention is arranged for dispensing shipping tags or checking tags, such as used for baggage checking in railway stations and the like, of the type having an eyelet reinforcing ring l2 attached thereto.

The pile of tags is constantly urged forwardly in the casing Ill by means of a compression spring l3 which acts between the rear'end of the Another object of the invention is to provide dispenser.

casing and a press plate M. A liftingplate l5 extends across the inner face of the front end of the casing l0 and projects through guide slots iii in the sides thereof. One edge of this plate is turned to form a narrow projecting flange I! which, when the device is used for dispensing tags, contacts the eyelet ring l2 of the end-most tag to raise it upwardly from the pile.

The lifting plate i5 is actuated by means of a U-shaped lever l8 which extends along each side of the casing I!) and entirely across the rear extremity thereof as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The lever I8 is pivoted on suitable pivot members l9 at each side of the casing. The forward extremities of the lever l8 are narrowed, as shown at 20, to fit into end notches 2| in the lifting plate l5.

The forward extremities of the lever l8 are constantly forced downwardly by means of suitable leaf springs 22, there being one spring at each side of the casing. These forward extremities can be lifted upwardly by the actuation of a press bar 23 extending across the top of the The press bar 23 issupported upon push rods 24 each of which extends downwardly to an actuating lever 25 pivoted at 26 to the sides of the casing I0. The position of the push rods is maintained by means of suitable guide members 38.

The forward extremitiesof the levers 25 are positioned under the forward extremities of the lever l8 and are maintained in this position by means of suitable guide clips 2'! attached to the levers 25 by means of suitable rivets 39 and extending upwardly alongside of the lever l8.

It can be readily seen that if the press bar 23 is forced downwardly it will'force the rear extremities ofthe actuating levers 25 downwardly. This causes the forward extremities of the levers to rise against the lever l8 causing the latter to raise the lifting plate l5. This causes the flange ll of the plate l5 to engage the eyelet l2 of the end-most tag so as to elevate this tag above the others to the position shown in broken line in Fig. 5. The pivot points 26 of the lever 25 are positioned toward the rear thereof so that a very slight movement of the press bar lifts the tag.

As each tag is dispensed, the spring l3 moves the press plate [4 forwardly until the entire stack of tags is exhausted. The complete device and its operating mechanism may be covered and concealed by means of an ornamental housing 29 provided with a slot 30 for the exit of the tags. The housing 29 is preferably formed with a sliding panel 3| to allow access to the casing I0.

For dispensing cards and smaller tags, an adjustable tag compartment is provided. This compartment consists of a base plate 32 which rests in the bottom of the casing Ill. Two adjustable side plates 33 are mounted on the base plate 32 by means of suitable clamp bolts 34, which pass through slotted holes, to allow the side plates to be adjusted toward and away from each other to accommodate cards of any desired width. Each side plate supports an angular bottom plate 35 which forms a supporting bottom for the cards. These bottom plates are vertically adjustable on the side plates by means of bolts 36 and slotted openings 3! so that they may be raised or lowered to accommodate cards of various lengths or heights.

The same spring 13 and press plate M are employed with the adjustable compartment as previously described. For use on cards, however, the lifting plate I5 is inverted so that the flange l1 extends along the bottom, as shown in Fig. 6. This plate is provided with two of the notches 2| in each of its ends to allow reversal and vertical adjustment thereof on the lever l8. Actuation of the press bar 23 now causes the flange I! to contact the bottom edge of the end-most card, lifting it from the pile and projecting it through the slots 28 and 30.

Thus, it can be readily seen that the same mechanism can be used with very little adjustment for handling cards or tags of any size, thus making it universally adaptable to the needs of the user.

The press bar 23 is so positioned that, as it is forced downwardly with the fingers the card or tag will be forced upwardly between the finger and thumb of that hand so that the entire operation isa single,simple movement of one hand.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the. invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A card dispenser comprising: a casing for receiving a pile of cards; a compression spring in said casing; a press plate actuated by said spring to force said pile toward one extremity of said casing; a lifting plate extending across the extremity of said casing against which the endmost card is pressed by said spring; means on said lifting plate for engaging said end-most card; actuating levers operatively connected at their one extremities to each extremity of said lifting plate; means for pivoting said levers intermediate their extremities, and a manually actuated press bar connected with the other extremities of said levers to move said lifting plate upwardly across said pile to lift the end-most card therefrom as said press bar is pressed downwardly.

2. A card dispenser comprising: a rectangular casing for receiving a pile of cards; a compression spring in said casing mounted on the rear end thereof; a press plate actuated bysaid spring to force said pile toward the forward extremity of said casing; a lifting plate extending across the forward extremity of said casing against which the end-most card is pressed by said spring; means on said lifting plate for engaging said end-most card; a U-shaped, pivoted, lever extending around the two sides and across the rear of said casing; means on said lifting plate for engaging the forward extremities of said U- shaped lever; and means for manually actuating said U-shaped lever to cause said lifting plate' to push the end-most card from said pile.

3. A card dispenser comprising: a rectangular casing for receiving a pile of cards; a compression spring in said casing mounted on the rear end thereof; a press plate actuated by said spring to force said pile toward the forward extremity of said casing; a lifting plate extending across the forward extremity of said casing against which the end-most card is pressed by said spring; means on said lifting plate for engaging said end-most card; a U-shaped, pivoted lever extending around the two sides and across the rear. of said casing; means on said lifting plate for engaging the forward extremities of said U- shaped lever; an actuating lever pivoted to each sion spring in said casing mounted on the rear end thereof; a press plate actuated by said spring to force said pile toward the forward extremity of said casing; a lifting plate extending across the forward extremity of said casing against which the end-most card is pressed by said spring; means on said lifting plate for engaging said end-mostcard; a lever mechanism for moving the lifting plate laterally of said pile to force the end-most card therefrom; and an outer housing surrounding and enclosing said casing, said housing being provided with a slot for the passage of said cards.

5. A tag dispenser comprising: a tag casing for receiving a horizontal series of vertically positioned tags of the type having eyelet reinforcing rings; spring means for forcing said pile forwardly in said casing; side walls of said casing provided near their forward ends with vertical guide slots; a lifting plate extending across the inner face of the forward extremity of said casing and projecting through the said vertical guide slots in the sides thereof, the said spring means being adapted to press the forward tag of said pile against said plate, the latter being positioned below the reinforcing ring of said tag so that when the plate is lifted, it will contact the eyelet reinforcing ring of that tag; manual means connected with said plate for forcing the latter laterally of said pile; and spring means connected to said plate for returning the latter to its original position.

6. A card dispenser comprising: a rectangularshaped casing for receiving a pile of cards; a compression spring in said casing mounted on the rear end thereof; a press plate actuated by said spring to force said pile toward the forward extremity of said casing; a lifting plate extending across the forward extremity of said casing against which the end-most card is pressed by said spring; means on said lifting plate for engaging said end-most card; a U-shaped, piv- 0ted,.lever extending around the two sides and across the rear of said casing; means on said lifting plate for engaging the forward extremities of said U-shaped lever; means for manually actuating said U-shaped lever to cause said lifting plate to push the end-most card from said pile; and means for varying the width and depth of said casing to fit different sized cards.

'7. A card dispenser comprising: a rectangularshaped casing for receiving a pile of cards; a compression spring in said casing mounted on the rear end thereof; a press plate actuated by said spring to force said pile toward the foreward extremity of said casing; a lifting plate extending across the forward extremity of said casing against which the end-most card is pressed by said spring; means on said lifting plate for engaging said end-most card; a U-shaped, pivoted, lever extending around the two sides and across the rear of said casing; means on said lifting plate for engaging the forward extremities of said U-shaped lever; means for manually actuating said U-shaped lever to cause said lifting plate to push the end-most card from said pile; and spring means for returning said plate.

8. A card dispenser comprising: a rectangularshaped casing for receiving a pile of cards; a

compression spring in said casing mounted on the rear end thereof; a press plate actuated by said spring to force said pile toward the forward extremity of said casing; a lifting plate extending across the forward extremity of said casing against which the end-most card is pressed by said spring; means on said lifting plate for engaging said end-most card; a U-shaped, pivoted, lever extending around the two sides and across the rear of said casing; means on said lifting plate for engaging the forward extremities of said U-shaped lever; an actuating lever pivoted to each side of said casing adjacent to each extremity of said U-shaped lever; a press bar extending across said dispenser; push rods extending from said press bar to one extremity of each actuating lever so that pressure on said bar will cause said actuating levers to swing said U-shaped lever to cause the lifting plate to lift the endmost card from said pile; and means for maintaining the position of said push rods and for guiding the same.

9. A card dispenser comprising: a rectangularshaped casing for receiving a pile of cards; a compression spring in said casing mounted on the rear end thereof; a press plate actuated by said spring to force said pile toward the forward extremity of said casing, a lifting plate extending across the forward extremity of said casing against which the end-most card is pressed by said spring; means on said lifting plate for engaging said end-most card; a U-shaped, pivoted, lever extending around the two sides and across the rear of said casing; means on said lifting plate for engaging the forward extremities of said U-shaped lever, an actuating lever pivoted to each side of said casing adjacent to each extremity of said U-shaped lever; a press bar extending across said dispenser; push rods extend.- ing from said press bar to one extremity of each actuating lever so that pressure on said bar will cause said actuating levers to swing said U-shaped lever to cause the lifting plate to lift the endmost card from said pile; and means for maintaining the-position of said push rods and for guiding the same; and means for securing the said extremities of said U-shaped member to said actuating lever.

10. A card dispenser comprising: a rectangularshaped casing for receiving a pile of cards; a compression spring in said casing mounted on the rear end thereof; a press plate actuated by said spring to force said pile toward the forward extremity of said casing, a lifting plate extending across the forward extremity of said casing against which the end-most card is pressed by said spring; means on said lifting plate for engaging said end-most card; a U-shaped, pivoted, lever extending around the two sides and across the rear of said casing; means on said lifting plate for engaging the forward extremities of said U-shaped lever; an actuating lever pivoted to each side of said casing adjacent to each extremity of said U-shaped lever; a press bar extending across said dispenser; push rods extending from said press bar to one extremity of each actuating lever so that pressure on said bar will cause said actuating levers to swing said U-shaped lever to cause the lifting plate to lift the endmost card from said pile; and means for maintaining the position of said push rods and for guiding the same; and guide clips for maintaining the extremities of said U-shaped member adjacent to said actuating lever.

HERBERT A. SALZBRENNER. 

